Agapanthus plant named ‘PMB011’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Agapanthus  plant named ‘PMB011’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; early flowering habit; numerous star-shaped flowers with violet blue and white-colored perianth segments arranged on upright and strong scapes; and ease of propagation.

Botanical designation: Agapanthus orientalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PMB011’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Agapanthus plant, botanically known as Agapanthus orientalis and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘PMB011’.

The new Agapanthus plant is the product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Pine Mountain, Queensland, Australia. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and vigorous Agapanthus plants with early flowering habit and attractive bi-colored flowers.

The new Agapanthus plant is the result of a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in 2009 of Agapanthus orientalis ‘Snowflake’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Agapanthus orientalis known as code name PMB01, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Agapanthus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Pine Mountain, Queensland, Australia during the spring of 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Agapanthus plant by divisions in a controlled environment in Pine Mountain, Queensland, Australia since the spring of 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Agapanthus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Agapanthus have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PMB011’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PMB011’ as a new and distinct Agapanthus plant:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Early flowering habit.     -   4. Numerous star-shaped flowers with violet blue and         white-colored perianth segments arranged on upright and strong         scapes.     -   5. Ease of propagation.

Plants of the new Agapanthus differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Snowflake’, primarily in perianth segment color as plants of ‘Snowflake’ have white-colored perianth segments.

Plants of the new Agapanthus differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection primarily in perianth segment color as plants of the male parent selection have violet blue-colored perianth segments.

Plants of the new Agapanthus can be compared to plants of Agapanthus orientalis ‘PMN06’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/903,036. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Pine Mountain, Queensland, Australia, plants of the new Agapanthus and ‘PMN06’ differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Agapanthus were more compact than plants of         ‘PMN06’.     -   2. Plants of the new Agapanthus were more vigorous than plants         of ‘PMN06’.     -   3. Plants of the new Agapanthus had shorter and narrower leaves         than plants of ‘PMN06’.     -   4. Plants of the new Agapanthus had shorter scapes than plants         of ‘PMN06’.     -   5. Plants of the new Agapanthus had smaller flowers than plants         of ‘PMN06’.     -   6. Plants of the new Agapanthus flowered earlier than plants of         ‘PMN06’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Agapanthus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Agapanthus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PMB011’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘PMB011’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘PMB011’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the early spring (November) in 17.5-cm containers in a outdoor nursery in Pine Mountain, Queensland, Australia and under cultural practices typical of commercial Agapanthus production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 3° C. to 38° C., night temperatures ranged from 3° C. to 27° C. and light levels ranged from 40 to 50 klux. Plants were one year old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Agapanthus orientalis ‘PMB011’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Agapanthus orientalis ‘Snowflake’,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Agapanthus             orientalis identified as code number PMB01, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture; plants of the new Agapanthus             propagate relatively easily.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 14 days at             temperatures about 28° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 10 to 14 days at             temperatures about 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 98 days at             temperatures about 28° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About 126 days at             temperatures about 22° C.         -   Root description.—Thick and fleshy; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Low branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Evergreen flowering perennial             plant; compact and upright plant habit and strong upright             flower scapes; leaves and flowering stems basal; vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 22             cm.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of floral plane).—About 40             cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 36 cm. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement and appearance.—Leaves arranged in a basal             rosette with about 21 leaves developing per plant; leaves             distichous, simple and sessile; leaves erect to semi-erect             in attitude.         -   Leaf length.—About 22 cm.         -   Leaf width.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Ligulate.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             N137A. Fully expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to N137A; venation, close to N137A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single star-shaped flowers             arranged in terminal umbels supported by strong upright             scapes; flowers face mostly outwardly; umbels roughly             hemispherical in shape; freely flowering habit with about 55             flowers developing per umbel.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Relatively early flowering habit;             under natural conditions, plants of the new Agapanthus being             flowering during the middle spring in southeastern             Queensland, Australia; plants propagated via             micropropagation begin flowering about eight months after             planting.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about three to four             weeks on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm to             7 mm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Color: Close to 155B with close             to 154B along perianth segment keels; with development,             violet blue coloration, close to 92D, begins to appear             proximally and darkens to close to 92C as the flowers begin             to open.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 9 cm to 10 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 12 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 3 cm.         -   Perianth.—Quantity and arrangement: Typically six segments             arranged in a single whorl; lower part of a segment is fused             into a narrow tube; upper part of a segment is free and             flaring outwardly. Segment length: About 1.8 cm. Segment             width: About 8 mm. Segment lobe shape: Obovate. Segment             apex: Broadly acute. Segment margin: Entire. Segment             texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Segment             color, mature flower: Inner surface: Close to NN155D. Outer             surface: Towards the base, between 91B to 92B; towards the             apex, close to NN155D; occasionally, margins faintly traced             with close to 91C; with subsequent development, basal color             darkens to close to 92A.         -   Peduncles (scapes).—Length: About 40 cm. Diameter: At the             base, close to 1.1 cm; at mid-section, about 7 mm. Strength:             Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 146A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 mm.             Aspect: Upright to horizontal from the peduncle axis.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             144A to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             six. Filament length: About 3 cm. Filament color: Close to             NN155D. Anther shape: Oblong; dorsifixed. Anther length:             About 1 mm to 1.5 mm. Anther color: Close to N187B. Pollen             color: Close to N187B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Style length: About 3 cm. Style color: Close to NN155D.             Stigma shape: Clavate. Stigma color: Close to NN155D. Ovary             color: Close to 145B.         -   Fruits.—Length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm             to 7 mm. Color: Close to 144A. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Agapanthus have not     been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Agapanthus plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Agapanthus have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate drought and     temperatures ranging from −3° C. to about 38° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Agapanthus plant named ‘PMB011’ as illustrated and described. 